the-world-annealing:

Watched the new D&D movie and the main character is pretty clearly supposed to be a bard (wacky, witty, giant lute slung over his back), but they got rid of bardic music effects for being really silly and got rid of the casting so the party’s sorcerer could have ‘spellcaster’ as his hat (the druid got a similar treatment but at least they expanded what wildshape could do in compensation).

Except at that point the bard doesn’t have a lot of in-class features anymore, so to keep this dude relevant he just ended up as the 'plan guy’ and face, and in combat he mostly runs around dodging explosions. If he attacks someone, it’s by whacking them on the head from behind, because that’s the only way a noncombat guy like him can still plausibly contribute to fights.

But of course, 'evasive ambusher with many out-of-combat skills, including musical performance’ is already a D&D class. And I am really amused by the thought of hundreds of D&D newbies asking how to play the funny movie bard and getting told they should consider being rogues.